Companies that dive deep, get creative and take a forensic approach to supporting carers and parents are the ones setting themselves apart. Best practice in this space has changed and evolved over time, and even government is now setting big ambitions around 52 weeks of leave. That makes it an important moment to look at what really works in building caring, family-friendly workplaces.
Care is universal, not just a “women’s issue”
The conversation around family-friendly work has broadened significantly. It’s no longer only about women, mothers and young children. Care is universal: employees bring caring responsibilities into work every day, whether they’re looking after children, older family members, or someone with disability or illness.
Designing a family-friendly workplace means recognising that reality and creating conditions where all carers can thrive professionally and personally. That shift is at the heart of what many organisations are now trying to achieve.
Measurement turns intention into impact
One of the clearest messages from recent discussions is that measurement is everything. Without data, it’s hard to fix problems or understand return on investment. The key question is: how do we know how it went, and what the experience was like, unless we put something in place and track it?
There is still a lack of data around some parts of this picture, particularly men’s take‑up of parental leave. While individual organisations often track this internally, not all have a responsibility to report, so there is no clear national figure. That makes it difficult to establish a baseline, track men’s experiences over time, and understand what encouraged them to take caregiving leave.
The practical response is to treat your workplace as a mini research experiment. Track who takes leave, how flexible work is used, retention and progression for carers, and what people say about their experience. That organisational data is valid, even if it isn’t academic research.
From policy to practice: sharing what you learn
Changing policies and support is a big challenge. It can be a long process to get many people to agree, especially in large or global organisations. That’s why real stories matter. Papers and reports have shown time and again that investing in good paid parental leave and flexible work returns value in productivity and retention. But it’s when we hear “this is what happened in our organisation when we did it” that change often takes hold.
There is nothing stopping organisations from sharing those learnings with a wider community. Your experience around flexible work, men taking parental leave, or any other caring policy is no less valid because it comes from your workplace rather than a university. Often, what influences change is exactly these kinds of conversations and case studies.
The role of legislation and targets
For some organisations, voluntary change will always be hard. That’s where legislation and compliance drivers can be a game changer. When there are clear targets linked to research and productivity, it becomes easier to decide what to prioritise and what is actually beneficial.
Workplace data can also feed into broader reporting frameworks, helping to shape meaningful targets over time. Even if not everyone agrees with every metric, having some shared expectations means all organisations eventually have to shift.
What employers can do now
If you’re leading people, policy or culture, start where you are, measure what matters, and share your learning.
Practical next steps include:
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Audit your current leave and flexibility policies against emerging standards and benchmarks.
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Add simple questions to exit and stay interviews about caring responsibilities and flexibility.
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Pilot a manager toolkit for supporting parental leave and return‑to‑work, then refine it based on feedback.
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Publish a short internal or external case study on what you changed, what you measured, and what you’ll do next.
In a world where care is increasingly visible, the employers that lean into that reality — creatively, forensically and openly — will be the ones that attract, retain and grow their best people.
Ready to see how your policies stack up? Explore Family Friendly Workplaces certification and discover practical steps to build a truly caring workplace.
